EU: DEMAND OF KARABAKH PEOPLE SHOULD BE MET
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.04.2006 01:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The European Parliament considers it has not clear
“road map” to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, however the EU
should take part in the solution of the issue without fail,” Chair
of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, French MP
Marie-Anne Isler-Beguin stated at a news conference in Yerevan. In
her words, the international community wants soonest settlement
of the Karabakh conflict by peaceful tools. “The other way is just
impossible. The conflict should be solved based on the right of peoples
to self-determination and observation of national minority rights. The
demand of the Nagorno Karabakh people should be met and Azerbaijan
has to respect people’s right to self-determination,” she remarked.
The delegation head believes that the OSCE MG should find a
political compromise between the parties of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Marie-Anne Isler-Beguin emphasized the EP does not speak
“either of occupied, or liberated territories.” “These are the seven
regions around NK, where refugees should return and decide their
status themselves,” she underscored.
At the same time Isler-Beguin supposes the Armenian society should
be ready to living with Azerbaijanis.
At that she cited the example of France and Germany, which in spite
of past differences, are an exemplar of peaceful cooperation.

TURKEY OBLIGED TO RECOGNIZE AMRENIAN GENOCIDE, MEP BELIEVES
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.04.2006 01:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Each time the matter of talks on Turkey’s accession
to the EU is discussed at the European Parliament, the issue of
recognition of the Armenian Genocide is raised, Chair of the EU-Armenia
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) from France Marie-Anne Isler-Beguin stated at a news conference
in Yerevan.
In her words, it is impossible to imagine that a state can enter Europe
without recognizing a genocide fact and having a blocked border with
a neighbor. “We remind Turkey of the need to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide and open the border and will always abide by this position,”
she emphasized.

FRENCH HOME SECRETARY CENSURED PROFANATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL IN LYON
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.04.2006 19:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ French Home Secretary Nicolas Sarkozy censured the
vandalism act regarding the Armenian Genocide memorial in Lyon. In
his words, “this crime of violence, expresses negationism and hatred,
and is unacceptable.”
To remind, on April 17, seven days before the commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide of 1915, the steles of the Armenian Memorial
set up in the town of Lyon (France), which was to be inaugurated by
President Jacques Chirac, were profaned with inscriptions of insults
and negationists: “There never was genocide of the Armenians”. This
act of vandalism followed upon the consecutive racist drifts with the
ultra nationalist Turkish demonstration of last 18 March. Armenian
associations and organizations (CCAF – CDCA) call the authorities
of Police force to seek and sanction the persons in charge for these
intolerable attacks of human dignity.
“Authors of the inscription must be severely punished,” added Nicolas
Sarkozy. He assures the Armenian community of its ” whole solidarity
“. He reminded, “the Republic has expressed its stance by the law
of January 29th, 2001, according to which France recognizes publicly
the Armenian Genocide of 1915.” Thus, he added, “the authorities of
the Republic will not admit scoffing at the law.”

CANADIAN PM RECOGNIZED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.04.2006 20:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, has
made a clear statement recognizing the historical fact of the Armenian
Genocide, reports the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC). In
response to a reporter’s question regarding the Armenian Genocide,
the Prime Minister said: “That was a vote held in the last Parliament
[Motion M-380 – April 21, 2004]. As you recall, Parliament passed that
resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Our party supported that
resolution and we continue to recognize that parliamentary resolution”.
Dr. Vagharch Ehramdjian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC), thanked Prime Minister Harper, on behalf of the Canadian
Armenian community, for his historic statement. “Stephen Harper’s
principled and righteous stand in recognizing the Armenian Genocide
will finally bring closure to the Canadian-Armenian community,”
said the ANCC Chairman.

TYUMEN TO COMMEMORATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.04.2006 20:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A memorial evening on the Commemoration Day
of Victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 will be organized by
Stroitel palace of national cultures in Tyumen on April 24. The event
program includes a story on the historical developments in 1915,
an exhibition devoted to national heroes, performance of patriotic
songs, declaration of poems of Armenian poets. April 24 is marked in
Russia, Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora as the Commemoration Day
of Victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Russia
officially marks the Commemoration Day since 1995, when the State
Duma recognized the fact of the Genocide. The date was introduced in
Armenia 8 years before. Ritual measures on the occasion will be held
on that day worldwide, reports NewsProm.Ru.

RESERVED ATTITUDE NECESSARY TOWARDS TURKISH AND AZERI PRESS PUBLICATIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.04.2006 20:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Reports that Baku will attack Armenia in a few days
are hardly true. I do not think serious people disseminated these,”
Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian said in response to a question of a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter regarding “official Baku has resolved to
launch a war”. In Oskanian’s words, reserved attitude is necessary
towards all statements of the Turkish and Azeri press. “I suppose
this report deserves no attention,” the Armenian FM underscored.
To remind, the Media Forum, an Azeri newspaper, reported referring to
Turkish web-site that “Azeri army will attack Armenia
in a few days.” “Diplomatic sources provided the information,” the
web-site reported. According to the web edition, “the Azeri government
has seriously prepared for liberating Karabakh and official Baku has
resolved to launch a war”.

LEONID IVASHOV: THREAT OF RESUMPTION OF HOSTILITIES IN KARABAKH QUITE REAL
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.04.2006 GMT+04:00
Interview
The South Caucasus has always been a place of collision of
superpowers. Due to the Nagorno Karabakh and Georgian-Abkhaz conflict
there is an impression formed that Russia is gradually being forced
out of the region. What is the actual state of affairs?
PanARMENIAN.Net asked first vice-president of the Academy of
Geopolitical Studies, Colonel General, Doctor of Historical Sciences
Leonid Ivashov, who headed Russian Army General Staff till 2001.
How serious are Azerbaijan’s statements on readiness to resumption
of hostilities on the Karabakh front?
Security issues should always be treated seriously.
Taking into account the complexity of the Nagorno Karabakh problem
security is the main task of the state and the major responsibility of
the President and government. Only via military balance it’s possible
to preserve political settlement. The threat of an armed conflict
and resumption of hostilities is quite real.
Keeping the situation within a political settlement is possible only
via balance of military potentials.
Domination of military force of one of the parties can result in a
new bloodshed.
Which is the Russia’s policy towards settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict?
The Russian leadership lacks a precise strategy on the South
Caucasus. In relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia Russia abides
by the balance of friendly interaction. This line helps to maintain
peace in Karabakh.
A notion is formed lately that Russia is trying to strengthen its
position in the South Caucasus resorting to means that are not
popular. Is this true?
Russia, in the person of the reasonable part of its leadership, is
trying to maintain its presence and influence in the Caucasus. It’s
important for Russia to prevent destabilization in the North Caucasus,
deployment of NATO military bases and projection of military force
inland.
In my opinion, Armenia is Russia’s monument point in the South
Caucasus. At the same time it is vitally important for Armenia to have
allied relations with Russia. If Armenia relies on promises made by
the West it will lose its state system and independence.
If Georgia and Azerbaijan escape the zone of Russia’s influence, will
not Armenia be isolated, hoping for Russia’s good will, which can act
in the same manner, as in 1921 by concluding an alliance with Ataturk?
Armenia has the right to establish relations with whom it wishes. But
if it conflicts with Russia’s interests Moscow can transform
cooperation into the level of mutually beneficial relations without
any political or economic preferences. However such situation will
conflict with Armenia’s national interests and will result in the
isolation of the republic and even in its collapse.
A large Armenian Diaspora lives in Russia. “I think it could make a
great contribution to the development of the Russian-Armenian allied
relations.

FRENCH ARMENIANS CONDEMN DESECRATING OF MEMORIAL TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN LYON
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
The Coordination Board of the France based Armenian Organizations
strictly condemned the act of desecration of the memorial to the
Victims of the Armenian Genocide in Lyon that was due to be unveiled
on April 24.
Earlier, by the order of the Turkish government, the Turkish consulate
in Lyon tried to hinder the construction of the memorial. On April 17,
the Turkish vandals wrote statements denying the genocide and praising
the Turks on the columns of the memorial.
“By taking such steps the Turkish nationalists living in France join
the neo-Nazi scoundrels that desecrate the Holocaust memorials,”
the statements of the France based Armenian organizations reads. The
organizations demand that the French political and the judiciary powers
should response this act with strictness, “as such vandalism cases
violate not only the rights of the Armenian community but also those
of all the French citizens and the republic, as well as violate such
values as memory, truth and justice.” The authors of the statement
demand that the vandals should undergo criminal prosecution.

THE OPENING OF THE ARMENIA-TURKEY BORDER IN THE LIGHT OF ARMENO-IRANIAN RELATIONS
By Khajag Mgrdichian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
For most Armenian political and intellectual circles, the blockade
forced on Armenia by Turkey-and the fact, that the Armeno-Turkish
border still remains closed-are proof of Turkey’s antagonistic
attitude, if not outright animosity towards Armenia and the Armenian
people. This much is undeniable. Aside from the economic consequences
of the blockade, in the realm of international relations, aggravating
the lack of formal diplomatic ties with the decision to implement
a blockade, can easily be construed as an act of war, a casus
belli. Therefore, to ask Turkey to normalize relations with Armenia by
opening the borders, may be received as an attempt to end the present
belligerent policy. It is not by chance, that the speech delivered
at an Armenian Assembly gathering by Assistant to the Secretary
of State, Daniel Fried was received with applause, when he stated:
“Now we hope, but also anticipate, that a solution on Nagorno-Karabagh
will result in an open border with Turkey, which is a consistent goal
on our agenda with Ankara. From Yerevan, I went to Ankara and I made
this point with the Turkish government that we want the border open,
and we want it open as soon as possible.”
So far, high-ranking American officials, succeeding ambassadors-the
last of whom, John Evans-have declared, that in the light of the
existing blockade, they approach with understanding Armenia’s special
relationship with Iran.
In regards to the importance of relations with Iran, a similar opinion
is expressed in a document titled “Strategic Defense Guidelines of the
Republic of Armenia” where one reads the following: “In conditions
of an economic-transportation blockade, from the point-of-view of
neutralizing Armenia’s isolation, Iran’s significance becomes more
salient as a country securing an essential strategic road to Asia
and the Middle East for Armenia.”
However, it is clear, that intent on the encirclement of Iran, the
United States has partially completed that aim with its military
presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, the mistrust of the Gulf’s Arab
states towards Iran and the stress in Azerbaijan-Iran relations. Daniel
Fried has said in Baku, that the danger to the security of Azerbaijan
does not come from Armenia, it comes from other countries (referring
to Iran). Fried justifies American aid to Azerbaijan, saying, “Our
security cooperation with and assistance to Azerbaijan is meant
to improve Azerbaijan’s posture against those threats, not against
Armenia.”
Iran’s encirclement could be completed by reversing the progress of
her relationship with Armenia.
However, that progress cannot be justifiably slowed down, as long as
the Turkish-Azeri blockade of Armenia continues. It is by lifting that
blockade, that Armenia’s special relationship with Iran may become
not only unjustifiable, as far as the United States is concerned,
but objectionable, as well.
According to Fried, the United States follows with considerable
apprehension Armenia’s energy ties with Iran. According to him,
America-as in the case of other Caucasus countries-tries to find
alternate sources of fuel for Armenia. Therefore, it is clear, that
the increasing interest, shown recently by the United States on the
matter of the opening of the Armenia-Turkey border, is motivated by a
desire to end State Department’s present tolerance of the Armenia-Iran
special relationship, by securing other accessible sources of energy
for Armenia’s needs.
In political terms, the U.S. efforts to encircle Iran are
understandable. However, the U.S. attempt to replace the present
Armenia-Iran relations with those of Armenia-Turkey, denotes a
failure to grasp the historical context of existing Armenian-Turkish
relations. For Armenia, what is being dealt with here is not a simple
act of shutting the back door and opening the front one. More than just
political, both relationships have strategic ramifications. Opening
the borders does not nullify the Turkish threats to the security of
the Armenian people and state.
Furthermore, it jeopardizes the Armenian quest for justice and
reparations for the genocide committed by Turkey. In sum, the issue
is not one of replacing the 10 cubic meters of natural gas being
pumped from Iran with an equal amount from Turkey or Azerbaijan;
those relationships are not as simple as the spokesmen of the US
State Department’s foreign policy would make us believe.
Most worrisome of all, however, is the danger of having Armenian
circles, that may be lured and end up swallowing-hook, line, and
sinker-these simplistic notions concerning the complex relationships
discussed above.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN NGO RESPONSES ST. ETCHMIADZIN
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
Georgiy Andreadze, head of “National Lobby” Georgian NGO, believes
that Georgia has both the moral and the legal rights to demand
back the so-called “Georgian” churches in the territory of Armenia
and Israel. He thinks this step will be a deserved response to the
equivalent demand of the Armenian side.
“Regnum” agency informed that Andreadze believes that the so-called
Georgian churches are situated mainly in the territory of the current
Northern Armenia.
According to him these territories belonged to Kvemo Karteli long
ago. We hope that these suppositions are no territorial claims and
do not reflect the official position of Georgia.